Page 103 of Darkest Deception

Helia raises a hand, reaching for the side of my face, and a breath leaves me just as his hand makes skin contact. The warmth from his hand feels soft. It feels like patience and home.

Of calm waters.

Of a final destination.

His hand moves under my jaw, tilting my head softly side to side as if inspecting me before he drags his fingers softly to my forehead, pushing away strands of blond hair. The softness in his touch makes my heart burst. He has never touched me this tenderly, never with the intention of just looking at me, of feeling me.

And it feels out of place, and yet, it feels right.

My eyes shut on their own record when Helia takes a step closer, his body almost caging me in with how tall and broad his chest is. His touch travels from my forehead down to my cheek once more, going over my eyebrows, my nose, my lips, and my chin.

I release a shuddering breath.

“Helia.” The soft whisper falls from my lips. I open my eyes.

And the look in his eyes, the concentration mixed with rage and worry. It’s different.

Grabbing his wrist, I pull his hand away from my face and take a step back.

“You shouldn’t be touching me like this.” I look away from his eyes, too ashamed to admit why.

It makes me hope. And hope isn’t good for me. It’s wrong.

“You should hate me, kick me out of your house, so I can get rid of this misunderstanding.”

There is only silence on his end, forcing me to slide my eyes back to him. His hands are clenched at his side as he heaves, his nostrils flaring. The emerald in his eyes is engulfed by black while his hair sits messily on his head.

Right now, with his hoodie open and his black sweatpants, he looks every bit of the monstrous serpent I think of him to be. He looks ready to kill, and I am ready to take on whatever he will throw at me.

My vulnerability today has made me delusional.

“Misunderstanding?” Helia grits out harshly.

I wordlessly nod.

Narrowing his eyes, he takes a step, then another until he is right in front of me. His hands grasp my forearms, then Helia gets in my face.

“A fucking misunderstanding? You are telling me that every time you looked at me, it wasn’t to seek me out but because I misunderstood and you were just glaring at me in hate? You are telling me that every time you touched me, it was out of obligation and not because you craved my touch?” He heaves. “Your words, your secret smiles, your care for me, and your heart are nothing but a lie?”

A frown twists on my face at his words.

Why would he notice any of it when he merely hates me?

“Were we not fooling around? Was this not just a game for you?”

Helia’s hold on my arms tightens. “A game?” His words rumble in his chest. “It’s a game to you?” he shouts, letting go of me. “I would very much like to kill you right now for uttering those words. Have you ever seen me take an interest in a woman like this? Do you think I merely wanted to use you? For what? Your company? Did you think all this time… everything I did was for… personal gain?”

I can hear my own heart drumming inside of me, the painful thud against my chest making me swallow in pain.

Helia’s words cut deep because it’s not true. I thought each time he touched was because he liked to, each time he looked my way, he wanted to find his emerald of the day, each and every single time he smiled at me, it was because I entered the room and his eyes found me.

I had been delusional. I had denied it.

And now I’m denying it in front of Helia.

“Tell me!” he screams in my face. “Tell me that it’s true. Tell me that your disgusting mind got to you.” He keeps shouting, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“Did my touch ever feel like hate?” he mutters, his eyes blazing.

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